Are You OK? Part 5

In Australia, it's RUOK Day. If we were to adopt it here in America, we'd have one day left. I'm going to pretend as though it were adopted here, and post straight through.

Making that Conversation

What if  you're not okay? What if you're on edge yourself, or you've just had some kind of crisis yourself that you don't know how to deal with?

Well, because part of RUOK Day is creating conversations, an approach I might take, having been an in a situation where I was the one not okay, I would first ask the person if they were okay- if so, then if we could sit down and have a chat.

Of course, I would approach someone I trusted, rather than a random person in this situation, but it's important to make sure that you're taken care of too. It's difficult to help someone else when you're in a bad place yourself, and it's definitely not healthy.

Of course, if in this situation, you see someone that may need some talkin' to, some loving, some one-on-one, you may ask them if they're doing alright, then emphasize the importance of finding someone to talk to about what's going on with them. After all, you're not a shrink-or, well, probably not, I can't speak for the whole population-and some of these situations require further conversations anyway. Just seeing that someone noticed them may make a difference.

There are wrong ways to go about this, though. It would be wrong to walk up to a person, ask if they're ok, then as soon as they say no, tell them "you should talk to someone about that"....wrong, indeed. You can talk to someone, and you can listen to a certain extent, but you have to be careful and know your limits. If they start talking about a sensitive topic, you can tell them "hey mate, I'm going through a rough time too, and I want you to know that I'm here for you, but this is a sensitive topic for me too right now, but I'd like for you to talk to someone about it."

Just as with every topic, there is a sensitive and insensitive approach to every facet. You don't want to approach a vulnerable person in an insensitive fashion, but you do want to make sure that they're noticed and taken care of, understandably. It's okay to tell them that you're not okay too, and that you'd like for them to see someone about it- in a nice way.

Most of all, on RUOK Day, make sure you're taking care of yourself first- if you need to see someone, and haven't made that appointment yet, perhaps consider doing so. If you've not considered it, think about what might help you. If you're not sure you're okay, maybe find a mate and talk to them about what's going on with you. You don't always have to wait for them to ask if you're okay- sometimes it's good to start a conversation yourself. Make sure your needs are taken care of, and that you'll be able to handle everything you take on.

Australians, I hope that you are all having a wonderful RUOK Day, and that many conversations are happening and going well. I want to hear all about it.